MILWAUKEE – For one night, everything was right in the Mets’ defensive world.

Meet Jose Reyes. Shortstop.

In what will almost certainly be a precursor to next season’s defensive switch, the 21-year-old phenom played short for the first time since Aug. 31, 2003. Yep, if you looked close enough, you could see 2005.

The only thing missing was Kaz Matsui at second base. Instead, Matsui got his second straight night off, still suffering from a left ankle bone bruise.

“What can I say? I’m surprised,” Reyes said before the Mets’ 6-5 win over Milwaukee. “I’m a little excited. It’s my normal position.”

So how did Reyes do in his first game back?

“No ground balls. Nothing,” he said.

Indeed, as luck would have it, Reyes did not get a single ground ball hit to him. Incredibly, though, he did commit an error the only time he touched the ball when his fifth-inning relay throw sailed over Todd Zeile’s head on a potential double play. Maybe Matsui’s shortstop defense has rubbed off.

“I shouldn’t have thrown it,” Reyes said.

Regardless, you can expect Reyes, who said it “felt good” to be back, to see a few more games at short this year, as Art Howe will play him there whenever Matsui needs a rest. That will probably be the case again this afternoon.

“He’s probably our best option when Kaz isn’t in there,” Howe said.

Probably? Please. In watching Reyes play short for 69 games last season and Matsui play short for 103 games this season, it’s ridiculously clear who’s better. Not only does Matsui lead MLB in errors (22), but Reyes has better arm strength, range and reliability (only nine errors last year).

No matter how dazzling Reyes is in his fill-in stints, though, the Mets insisted Matsui won’t lose his position this season.